Doha Tournament

[nehmeth]

I think what makes Novak so impressive is that he's so...impregnable, with no real weaknesses, no contexts where he suffers. We can point to his lack of a French Open title, but he clearly has no problem playing on clay, has a bunch of clay titles, and it seems a foregone conclusion that he'll win the FO eventually.

Every other great that I can remember and look back in the record had some kind of notable weakness, some context he struggled with, some player who had his number. Roger was near perfect except for Rafa, Pete couldn't win on clay, Bjorn had Mac, Mac had himself, etc. Novak has...nothing.

"Mac had himself.." :lolz: That made my day.

 

[Fiero425]

I think what makes Novak so impressive is that he's so...impregnable, with no real weaknesses, no contexts where he suffers. We can point to his lack of a French Open title, but he clearly has no problem playing on clay, has a bunch of clay titles, and it seems a foregone conclusion that he'll win the FO eventually.

Every other great that I can remember and look back in the record had some kind of notable weakness, some context he struggled with, some player who had his number. Roger was near perfect except for Rafa, Pete couldn't win on clay, Bjorn had Mac, Mac had himself, etc. Novak has...nothing.

"Mac had himself.." :lolz: That made my day.

Part Mac, the other Tatum more than likely! She had to be an even worse influence with her history! :cover :angel:

 

[Front242]

Imagine the 6 years of horse steroids fried Mac's brain. He was told they were too strong for horses so imagine what they did to him!

 

[mrzz]

Novak has...nothing.

He has two contemporarys with more GS titles than him.

 

[dante1976]

Again, in terms of consistency I agree and sorry to sound like cali here, but peak level Nalbandian would give him a run for his money and he never really played peak Nalbandian that much due to their age difference but when he did he was soundly beaten. Safin also ripped Novak a new one in Wimbledon miles after his prime and he hasn't really met any of these guys when they were in their peaks and in that respect he's being made to look more dominant. Federer at 34 is his main challenger right now and he's making a mockery of Nadal and Murray. The rest of the top 10 are simply not anywhere near consistent enough and frequently injured. There have been many eras of more challenging top 10-20 players but, yes, Djokovic is truly impressive right now, no doubt about it.

Well a guy hit around 120kmh average ROS in 2nd set No Nalby not even "god" himself could withstand Djoko when he is playing like that
No matter of competition he is currently just above everyone else and to beat him he simply need to have a bad day and his opponent simply must play lights out tennis... for couple sets/hours straight!? For 30+ years I never witnessed this kind of dominance. He just trashed ATG like it was some local weekend club amateur
And that ATG said he never witnessed such a level so I trust him (and my own eyes for sure ).

 

[Front242]

He was indeed amazing yesterday and he's been great for quite some time now but yesterday was the best I've ever seen from him. If he repeats performances like that multiple times this year I'll be even more impressed.

 

[tented]

Imagine the 6 years of horse steroids fried Mac's brain. He was told they were too strong for horses so imagine what they did to him!

He does horse around a lot.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn8vI0HkkzU[/video]

 

[Great Hands]

You forgot Novak has a 34 year old giving him fits at times and it says something about the low level of the rest of the tour that his biggest challenger is a guy turning 35 this year.

What people always neglect to say when they talk about how a 34 year old being at the top of the game shows a weak field is that this isn't just any 34 year old - this is arguably the greatest, and certainly the most technically gifted, player in history, who is posting some of his best ever numbers right now in certain parts of his game, such as serve, better than when he was in his 20s.

so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment.

I agree with you that Roger is Novak's main challenger, if we're talking best of 3. The point I made earlier in this thread was about best of 5, which is, let's be honest, what's it's all about for these guys, winning slams. And Roger hasn't beaten Novak in best of 5 for 3 and a half years. Beating Novak in Dubai, or in a dead match at the WTF is nice, but not much more than that.

In best of 5, Novak's toughest opponent at the moment is Stan, not Roger. Unlike Roger, Stan has actually beaten Novak at a slam both last year and the year before.

He's currently the only one of those 3 [i.e. Rafa, Roger, Andy] who can beat Novak at all

Nope, Andy beat Novak last year too. Both Andy and Roger had one win over Novak that 'mattered' last year, Roger in Cinci and Andy in Canada, and neither was at a slam, where it really mattered.

and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently,

Well, he couldn't get more than 2 sets off Novak at a slam last year. Even Andy got more sets off Novak last year at slams than Roger - they both played him twice at slams and Roger got 2 sets, Andy managed 3, including taking Novak to 5 sets, something Roger was not able to do.

By the way, I think Roger's tennis at 34 is amazing, and I enjoy watching him play, and I think his highest level right now is better than Andy's highest level, I'm just disagreeing with your statement that he's Novak's main challenger. I would add - yes, in best of 3. In best of 5 - i.e. where it really matters - Novak's main challenger is Stan, and Roger and Andy did about the same last year.

 

[isabelle]

Congrats to Nole

 

[Carol]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn8vI0HkkzU[/video]

I'm still surprised how he could lost so badly....very odd but...let's go to the next page

 

[Great Hands]

He looked to be playing well enough to challenge/beat other members of the top 5 but I honestly can't see him beating Novak again unless Novak has a really bad day. It really has become Williams v Sharapova out there. Same with Murray, just can't beat Djokovic anymore and Toronto was an anomaly since Novak was more focused on Cinci and the USO. Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

He's currently the only one of those 3 who can beat Novak at all and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently, so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment.

I agree with you that Roger is Novak's toughest opponent - in best of 3. At the slams last year, even Murray got more sets off Novak than Roger - they both played Novak twice at slams, Roger got 2 sets, Andy managed 3, including taking Novak to 5 sets, something Roger wasn't able to do. So for me, Stan is Novak's biggest challenger right now, not Andy or Roger, because unlike those two, he's beaten Novak at slams - i.e. when it really counts - the last couple of years. I just feel that to be considered a true rival to Novak, Roger (and Andy) need to beat him again at a slam. Unless/until that happens, I would consider Stan to be Novak's toughest opponent at the moment, not Roger - i.e. the one with the capability to actually scupper Novak's attempts at winning slams - which is, as I say, what it's all about for these top guys.

 

[Puppet Master]

I just came here to say one thing. Fuck you Nadal, you ugly cunt. I wish to never see you play again. That is all.

 

[herios]

I just came here to say one thing. **** you Nadal, you ugly %*#@$. I wish to never see you play again. That is all.

:laydownlaughing:snicker:lolz:

 

[Carol]

I just came here to say one thing. **** you Nadal, you ugly %*#@$. I wish to never see you play again. That is all.

I'm going to send him that message :snicker

 

[mrzz]

I just came here to say one thing. **** you Nadal, you ugly %*#@$. I wish to never see you play again. That is all.

Now that's the spirit! Best post in years!

 

[shawnbm]

I never thought I would see dominance like Roger from 2004-2007, but it is here folks. Neither neither Rafa at his best, Pete, nor Andre, nor Stefan, nor Boris, nor anybody since McEnroe in 1984 has dominated like Fed and Nole is now doing. It is something to behold.

 

[Obsi]

I never thought I would see dominance like Roger from 2004-2007, but it is here folks. Neither neither Rafa at his best, Pete, nor Andre, nor Stefan, nor Boris, nor anybody since McEnroe in 1984 has dominated like Fed and Nole is now doing. It is something to behold.

Do you still believe Djokovic will end his career with 12 slams?

 

[shawnbm]

I did not expect him to be like this in 2015. I think one must be open to revision. Thoughts are now that he is a 14-16 slam winner if, and this is key, he wins either the AO or the French this year. With either of those he would be at eleven and I should think, even in decline, he might bag another three. He is not too old to do so.

 

[herios]

I never thought I would see dominance like Roger from 2004-2007, but it is here folks. Neither neither Rafa at his best, Pete, nor Andre, nor Stefan, nor Boris, nor anybody since McEnroe in 1984 has dominated like Fed and Nole is now doing. It is something to behold.

Do you still believe Djokovic will end his career with 12 slams?

After he had 4, back at the end of 2011 we had a thread regarding his total slams and I projected 12 back then. It looked ambitious , but not anymore.
I am hoping he gets to 15.